Across Oceans and Borders

There’s a stigma attached to the word “refugee”. Many British citizens see refugees as people far removed from them, whose lives and challenges have no relationship with their own and spark no interest. Some British citizens choose not to view refugees as people at all. 

What is a refugee? The word was first used almost 350 years ago, derived from the French réfugié, meaning sheltered or protected. For centuries it referred to people fleeing religious persecution, and during World War One it took on an extended meaning as the word was applied to people displaced by armed conflict. 

Inhabitants of an island that hasn’t been invaded for ten centuries might struggle to fully grasp the human tragedy of wars that leave countless innocent people homeless and in forced exile. But we can try. We can try to understand the choices forced upon parents who wish only to protect their children.

We might start by heeding the words of poet Warsan Shire: 

“No one puts their children in a boat unless the water is safer than the land”. 

We might also like to look at some facts and figures.

The British government spends approximately £4.7 billion each year accommodating and supporting refugees and asylum seekers. To put that in context, approximately £46.8 billion of tax goes uncollected each year, with vast sums of money retained by people with the means to exploit loopholes and hide assets. So if you’re concerned about the cost of living, please be aware that tax evasion is ten times more of a drain on this country’s finances than the humanitarian support we offer people in the direst need. And if you’re concerned about preserving British values and angry with people who you see as a threat to them, perhaps you should consider the values of people who do everything they can to avoid paying tax. 

Unity in Diversity works with asylum seekers and refugees who would like nothing more than the opportunity to pay tax. Our service users want to work. They want to contribute. And that brings us to another fact that shouldn’t be ignored. 

Immigrants are net contributors to the British economy, and they always have been. 

They pay more in taxes than they consume in public services and benefits, and are statistically less likely to claim state benefits or live in social housing than native-born UK citizens. 

They fill critical labour shortages. 

They look after their neighbors. 

They make this country more prosperous.

We think that deserves acknowledgement, and from June 15th to June 21st, Refugee Week will provide it.

Established in the UK in 1998, Refugee Week offers a global programme of events raising awareness of the reasons behind forced migration and celebrating the contribution of people who find new homes and build new lives in the most challenging circumstances. 

Around Swansea next week, individuals, schools, libraries and community centres are organising events including creative workshops, film screenings and discussion forums. Unity in Diversity will play a full part, with our drop-in session at the Sacred Heart Centre in Morriston on June 18th an important part of our city-wide outreach programme. We’ll offer a welcome, give people a voice and support them on their journey.

In return, they’ll give us the gift of their strength and character. The theme of Refugee Week 2026 is “courage”. Every day, we see courage in our service users that we find humbling. When people cross oceans and borders to find a safe place and a new home, we owe it to them and to ourselves to make them welcome and let them contribute.

Contact Unity in Diversity at unityswansea@gmail.com to learn more about our work or find out how you can volunteer or make a donation.